Ingot bundle

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an ingot bundle. More particularly, the invention relates to an ingot bundle comprising a plural uneven number of layers of ingots, each layer including an even plural number of parallel juxtaposed ingots, each ingot being elongated and having a downward extending foot portion therebetween, the distance between the foot portions being such as to extend downwardly beyond the sides of the next adjacent lower layer of ingots whereby all of the layers except the top layer are held in interlocking relationship and including a wire encompassing the bundle holding all of the layers thereof together, the downward extending foot portions on the ingots making up the bottom layer providing fork lift blade receiving space.

United States Patent 1,321,092 11/1919 Dammer Joe H. Pitts Snyder, Tex.

July 18,1969

Mar. 16, 1971 American Magnesium Company Tulsa, Okla.

lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Field of Search 206/65 (B),65 (K); 2l4/l0.5

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 206/65KUX 3,498,451 3/1970 Foleyet al.

Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair Assistant Examiner-John M. CaskieAttorneyl-lead & Johnson ABSTRACT: This invention relates to an ingotbundle. More particularly, the invention relates to an ingot bundlecomprising a plural uneven number of layers of ingots, each layerincluding an even plural number of parallel juxtaposed ingots, eachingot being elongated and having a downward extending foot portiontherebetween, the distance between the foot portions being such as toextend downwardly beyond the sides of the next adjacent lower layer ofingots whereby all of the layers except the top layer are held ininterlocking relationship and including a wire encompassing the bundleholding all of the layers thereof together, the downward extending footportions on the ingots making up the bottom layer providing fork liftblade receiving space.

moor BUNDLE In the manufacture of raw metal, such as aluminum, mag-.nesium, and so forth, it is customary to form the product in ingots. Forconvenience of users these ingots are normally arranged to have a shape,configuration and weight so that they can be conveniently handled.

Since raw metal is usually low cost per pound product the shipping,packaging, and handling charges must be reduced as much as possible. Forthis reason it is not normally possible for raw metal ingots to becrated or otherwise packaged for sale, storage, distribution andshipment as is the case with most other manufactured products. It isthus desirable to provide a bundle of ingots capable of transportation,storage, shipment, and handling with a minimum of expense, butnevertheless with a maximum degree of safety and integrity of theshipping configuration, that is, such bundle design must be such thatthe bundle cannot be easily broken during the rough treatment normallyencountered in shipping nor can the ingots become loosened from thebundle handling and transportation. As examples of the efforts of othersin providing bundle designs, reference may be had to the following U.S.Pat. Nos: 3,017,042; 2,400,197; 2,720,967; 2,720,968; 3,007,586;3,154,391; 3,161,477; 674,093; 2,119,112; 2,420,625; and others.

All of the bundle arrangements and ingot configurations disclosed in theabove-mentioned United States patents and the other known literaturerelating to the subject matter, have taught arrangements having variousdegrees of success. The principal object of this invention is to providea bundle design which achieves a degree of economy, simplicity, andshipping integrity not revealed in the above referred to patents or theother known art relating to the subjects matter.

It is therefore an object of this invention toprovide an improved bundlearrangement for ingots. "Another object of the invention is to providean improved ingot design capable of arrangement in an improved bundle.

These general objects, as well as more specific objects of theinvention, will be understood by reference to the description and claimstaken in conjunction with the attached drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a bundle ofingots arranged according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of the bundleof FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the drawings a bundle of ingots in anarrangement according to the invention is shown. In the illustratedembodiment of the invention there are 13 layers of ingots, designated as8A through 8M. Each layer consists of four paralleled ingots 10. Thenumber of paralleled ingots 10 in each layer 8 is not significant to theinvention except that there preferably is an even number of ingots 10 ineach layer. The number of layers is not significant to the inventionexcept that there must be an uneven number of layers in that it isnecessary that the ingots 10 in the bottom layer 8A lie in the samedirection, or be parallel to, the ingots in the top layer 8M.

. Each of the ingots 10 includes an elongated bar portion 14 and anintegral downwardly extending foot portion 16 at each end of the barportion. The length between the foot portions of each ingot is justslightly greater than the sum of the width of the bar portions of theingots making up a layer. As an example, in the illustrated arrangementwherein there are four paralleled ingots in each layer, the lengthbetween foot portions 16 is just slightly greater than the sum of thewidths of four ingot. By this arrangement the downwardly extending footportions in the stacked arrangement overlap the next lower layer ofingots so that the total stack of ingots, except for the u per layer 8M,is interlocked into osition.

The a ternate layers above thebottom ayer, that 15, layers 88, 8D, 8F,8H, 8], and 81. in the illustrated embodiment, are arranged to provide aslight space 18 between the two center ingots. Received in the spaces 18and looping about the entire bundle in a plane perpendicular to thelengths of the ingots in the bottom layer 8A and top layer 8M is a wireloop 20. In practice, the loop 20 is normally formed of a length of wirepositioned about the bundle in the position shown and tied at 22. Tyingthe wire at 22 may be accomplished manually, or by means of strappingtools, including pneumatic strapping tools.

The configuration of the ingot 10 is such that when the bundle as shownin the drawings is setting on a flat surface space between the footportions 16 of the ingots making up the bottom layer 8A a space isprovided for receiving a forklift blade so that the bundle may be easilymoved around for transportation and storage by means of a forklifttruck.

While the size and configuration of the ingot design may varyconsiderably, in one embodiment which has been tested, each ingot wasapproximately 2 feet long. The bar portion 14 had a cross section inwhich the height was 2% inches and the width approximately 6 inches. Thefoot portions 16 extends to a length of approximately ZAinches below thelower surface of the bar portion 14. A raw magnesium ingot having thisconfiguration and these dimensions has weight of approximately 40 to 42pounds. In the arrangement illustrated wherein the bundle included 13rows of four ingots each, totaling 52 ingots, the total weight wasapproximately 2,080 pound, or approximately 1 ton. A number 10 gaugehigh strength steel wire 20 was used. A bundle of ingots of the abovedescribed size, utilizing 10 gauge wire, withstood severe tests,including tipping the bundle completely over without the integrity ofthe bundle being destroyed.

While the invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity it is manifest that many changes may be made in thedetails of construction and the arrangement of components withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Iclaim:

I. A bundle of ingots comprising:

a plural uneven number of layers of ingots stacked one layer on theother, each layer of ingots comprising an even plural number ofparalleled juxtaposed ingots, each ingot comprising an elongated barportion of flat, substantially rectangular cross section perpendicularthe length thereof and an integral downwardly extending foot portion ateach end, the length between said foot portions being slightly greaterthan the sum of the widths of bar portions of the ingots making up alayer, each layer above the bottom layer being arranged perpendicularthe adjacent lower layer whereby the foot portions of the ingots in eachlayer except the bottom layer extend downwardly below the upper surfaceof the layer immediately therebelow whereby each layer except the toplayer is thereby held inparalleled juxtaposed position, the alternatelayers beginning withthe layer immediately above the bottom layer beingarranged to provide a space between the two center ingots; and

a closed loop wire encompassing the stacked layers of ingots in a planeperpendicular the length of the ingots in the bottom and top layer, saidwire being received in said space between the center ingots of the saidalternate layers of ingots, the foot portions of the ingots in thebottom layer providing a forklift blade receiving space therebetween.

1. A bundle of ingots comprising: a plural uneven number of layers ofingots stacked one layer on the other, each layer of ingots comprisingan even plural number of paralleled juxtaposed ingots, each ingotcomprising an elongated bar portion of flat, substantially rectangularcross section perpendicular the length thereof and an integraldownwardly extending foot portion at each end, the length between saidfoot portions being slightly greater than the sum of the widths of barportions of the ingots making up a layer, each layer above the bottomlayer being arranged perpendicular the adjacent lower layer whereby thefoot portions of the ingotS in each layer except the bottom layer extenddownwardly below the upper surface of the layer immediately therebelowwhereby each layer except the top layer is thereby held in paralleledjuxtaposed position, the alternate layers beginning with the layerimmediately above the bottom layer being arranged to provide a spacebetween the two center ingots; and a closed loop wire encompassing thestacked layers of ingots in a plane perpendicular the length of theingots in the bottom and top layer, said wire being received in saidspace between the center ingots of the said alternate layers of ingots,the foot portions of the ingots in the bottom layer providing a forkliftblade receiving space therebetween.